Darkness Falls
Riley had not been home since the moment the air-raid sirens had gone off in Godric’s Hollow. Truth be told, she hadn’t even set foot out of the Ministry building since she apparated within it with her own brother in shackles. She looked up from the report she had been working on for a while now. Riley knew it had to be done but, that didn’t mean that putting the events of that transpired in the shelter to paper was an easy task. Especially if she allowed herself to think about it all as Riley, Darwin’s best mate and Rasmus’s younger sister, instead of Auror Rowle, trained officer of the Ministry’s Department of Law Enforcement.
To avoid falliing into the former thought pattern, she focused instead on the sense of unease that had caused to look up in the first place. It was a familiar sense, but not one that she believed any person could truly grow accostumed to. Considering the ramifications of having ignored it the last time, Riley was quick to indulge it and made to get up from her desk. She stopped short when felt a much different sensation emanate from her forearm.
The witch pulled up her sleeve just in time to watch as yet another section of the runic piece changed its ink from black to emerald. The changes had started shortly after the ‘interrogation’ of Rasmus had been concluded. She chalked it up to the enchanments on the damn thing and assumed the irritating thing would stop once it was all a solid color again. Curiosity won over as she brushed her fingers over the mark. It was warm to the touch.
Riley dropped her sleeve as the earlier sense took hold again, and she turned just in time to watch H.A. Savage making his way over to her. The man wasted no time in relaying the situation currently ocurring in Godric’s Hollow. It appeared to be a 'plague of green fireflies’, with dark-magic signatures that were originating somewhere in the expanse of woods that bordered the small town. He wanted to look into the matter first-hand and wanted her to accompany him.
His mouth said, “Because you live in the middle in those woods and would probably know your way around them better than most,” but his eyes said, “because your family practically owned that enitre forest at one point, and no one really trusts you to be left around here alone right now.”
Riley nodded her agreement and voiced a simple “Of course, sir.”
It was a suitable response to either of the messages he’d conveyed, and she knew he was a smart enough man to know it.
They apparated at the edge of the woods in question. No sooner had they spotted the first green glows in the distance, than Riley felt the irritation on her forearm flare again. Now it was a very distinct, if only mild, burning sensation. She didn’t bother to lift her sleeve this time. Her focus was drawn elsewhere when she heard Savage mention Darwin’s name. She didn’t fail to notice the odd way he looked at her before turning to their superior. In her line of work, it was look she’d seen on many other people’s faces before. Seeing it on her best friend’s face and knowing that she had been the cause is some way almost left her breathless.
Almost.
There was a task at hand and many more were counting on it being completed. Savage turned to her at Darwin’s suggestion.
“You have until 2200 to find this alleged hive and shut it down. You get not one more second beyond that, do I make myself clear?”
The question was meant to be rhetorical, but that didn’t stop the response that was provided
“Crystal.”
Riley glanced over at Darwin as she realized they’d responded in tandem, and for the briefest of seconds they were both fourteen again, in the Astronomy tower providing the names of obscure stars in unison even though they were across the tower from one another. But as he stepped closer with the bugs he’d caught in his jar, the burning sensation returned pulling her back to the present, where they had just agreed to go on a mission that their boss clearly didn’t believe they were capable of completing, and the though the physical distance was no more than thirty centimeters, it felt like they were constellations apart.
Savage apparated away, and wasting no more time, she turned to her partner as she unholstered her wand.
“Lead the way.”
As Savage disapparated, there was a moment of quiet before Riley spoke - a a half beat where Darwin felt torn. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, but couldn’t place what for - he knew she’d long stopped considering herself a Rowle, long been burned from her families’ tapestry. Knew at least some of her views on her family, he himself had come face to face with Raleigh Rowle only once - but it had been more than enough to leave a mark.
There were times when he swore he could still hear the rasp of his voice within his skull, reminding him he was not worthy enough to knock at their Manor door.
Despite how he knew she felt, somehow Darwin doubted it was a consolation to be proven right, doubted there was anything easy about bringing your own brother to the Ministry in shackles.
But she spoke first, perhaps she was in his thoughts and it was too familiar a sensation for him to notice there was an intrusion. Perhaps he didn’t care, or more likely, perhaps she simply knew him well enough to know his discomfort - whatever the case, Darwin was grateful for it.
As he walked through the treeline, Darwin was grateful for the company. An hour ago he was grateful for the solitude, he was certain he wanted to be alone with his thoughts, wanted to be alone period. Diana, despite divorcing him six months ago had attempted to comfort him - to contact him, but she did too much, tried too hard. It was smothering.
As they walked, attempting to follow where the small fireflies seemed to be coming from, he captured what he could in a jar - using his wand and an unnamed spell to lead them into the magically sealable containers. To be honest though, his natural sense of direction had never been great and as he looked up to reacquaint himself with what direction they were headed he was taken slightly aback.
“It’s a beautiful night.” Darwin said softly, content they were headed in the right direction and amazed at how many stars were clearly visible in the sky. Finally chancing a look at Riley again, he found it was easier than it had been earlier, possibly like ripping off a band aid, or possibly because he was grateful to not be alone. It was nice, having someone there, even if they weren’t speaking it was easier to fall into a familiar step than to risk having to figure out how to go it alone.
Darwin’s father was a good man, he spoke is mind, he cared for those who mattered to him and let them know just how much they mattered. In the back of his mind the Unspeakable wondered if he would ever be half the man that the veteran was.
